North Korea: Where can its missiles reach?

North Korea has threatened Australia with "disaster" for aligning itself with the US against the country's reclusive regime.

Its most recent missile test — its largest yet — highlights its determination to be able to strike anywhere in the world.

Just how much of the world is at potential risk?

North Korea has a large arsenal of reliable short-range ballistic missiles.

Under current leader Kim Jong-un's reign, North Korea has tested these short-range missiles 50 times. Only one of these tests has failed under the current leader, signalling their operational readiness.

Two of the Hwasong-12 tests flew over Japan (approximate landing locations shown), and some experts believe its most recent successful test on September 15 could signal this missile's operational readiness.

Another ICBM test was conducted on November 29, 2017, heralding the arrival of a new class of ICBM — the Hwasong-15

The missile flew higher and for longer than any other previous North Korean missile test, and gave it a range of around 13,000 kilometres.

This puts all of the continental US into range ...

But experts have noted that the payload used in the test may have been lighter than before.

If true, a missile carrying a heavier nuclear or munitions payload may not be able to reach this distance.

Furthermore it's currently unclear if North Korea has built a re-entry vehicle that won't burn up in the atmosphere. However, this is old technology and if the regime has not already mastered it, experts say it is not far off.

There is also some contention over whether North Korea has miniaturised a nuclear weapon so it can attach it to these longer-range missiles.

The regime claims it has already mastered this technology; experts say if North Korea doesn't already have the capability, it's a year or less away.